OSU media executive to leave school

Ohio State's assistant vice president for media and public relations Gayle Saunders will resign
from the university in February.

Saunders joined Ohio State in August 2012 and earns $150,000 a year.

Saunders said she submitted her resignation letter today and will resign from Ohio State on Feb.
14 to "take advantage of a different professional opportunity." She wouldn't say where she is going
or what she will be doing but said she has had a "fulfilling journey" at the university.

"During the past year and a half, she has brought to university communications strong
media-management expertise, a positive spirit, energy and wisdom," her boss, Melinda Church, OSU's
vice president of university communications, said in an email to staff.

Doug Haddix, an editorial assistant vice president in the department, will temporarily take over
Saunders' position, starting next week, while she finishes off several special projects for the
university. Ohio State officials expect it could several months to find a permanent replacement for
Saunders.

Haddix also serves as OSU's director of the Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism.
Previously, he worked as national training director for Investigative Reporters and Editors. Before
that, he spent more than 20 years as a reporter and editor in Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania and
Ohio including at
The Columbus Dispatch.

In an email to her team today, Saunders wrote, "I am proud of the many successes I have
experienced and thankful for the opportunity to have met and worked with such remarkable people and
leaders."

Before joining Ohio State, Saunders was director of communications for Nationwide Insurance. She
also has held leadership roles with SBC Communications, National City Bank, Columbus City Schools
and the City of Columbus.